Evaluation of Shear Wave Velocity and Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-7 for the Diagnosis of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic values of kidney shear wave velocity (SWV) and bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), and their correlation in the diagnosis of early diabetic kidney disease. Methods A total of 150 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were divided into three equal groups based on the urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR): normal albuminuria (normo-group, ACR < 30 mg/g creatinine, n = 50), microalbuminuria (micro-group, 30 <= ACR < 300 mg/g creatinine, n = 50), and macroalbuminuria (macro-group, ACR >= 300 mg/g creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >= 30 ml/min/1.73 m(2), n = 50). Fifty healthy volunteers were recruited to serve as controls (control group). The levels of serum BMP-7 were detected, and virtual touch tissue quantification was used to detect the renal SWV value in all study subjects. Correlations between groups as well as SWV and BMP-7 were analyzed. Results Serum BMP-7 and SWV were significantly and progressively decreased and increased, respectively, during the development of renal disease, from the normo-to the micro-and to the macro-groups (all P < 0.01 between each other for BMP-7 and SWV). Moreover, no significant differences between the normo-and control groups were observed for either BMP-7 or SWV (both P > 0.05). In addition, a significant correlation was found between SWV and BMP-7, with a coefficient of -0.569 (P < 0.05). Conclusion The determination of SWV together with serum BMP-7 may play an important role in the diagnosis of diabetic kidney disease.